so the car im buying is equipped with an ida carb. im concerned with the fact that since its not set up with cold start assist, and all that. is it going to be a pain in the *** to start this car in the sub zero weather we have up here in ontario, canada?...does the thing have some sort of choke? no im not driving the car in the winter, but damn its like 10 degrees out here now, and its not even the end of oct. yet!!!

 

IDA's don't have a choke.

 

IDAs do not have any sort of choke, which can make them somewhat more "interesting" to start. It's really not as big of a deal as it sounds...kind of like how people who only drive cars with automatic transmissions make too much out of learning to drive a stick. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature and even a point of pride. I had a peripheral port 13B with Weber 51IDA, which is probably the most challenging setup to start...and it was *easy* once I figured out a system. In my case, I'd pump the throttle 5 times to get some fuel in the intake tract and then feather the throttle while cranking, to regulate airflow. Once it's "lit", you only have to keep the revs up until the engine is warm enough to idle on its own. Keep in mind, I never did this in sub-freezing weather, but I don't think it would be a problem. Any car you can start with an automatic choke should be fine without one, once you get the system down.

 

There's "cold". And then there's "F%#KING COLD". Seattle and Vancouver occassionally experience "cold", ie: overnight lows in January down to 20F. An RX7 will barely start without a choke using your method, assuming you have a good battery.

But if you live in places like Minnesota or the Canadian prarie provinces, good luck getting it to even catch let alone stay lit without a choke. Winter temps in these parts routinely dip below 10F and can drop to -40 overnight. If you have no choke you'll need a block heater, as well as the stock heat duct coming off the exhaust manifold and into the air intake (which was likely ditched when you installed the aftermarket carb) if you hope to have the beast start on extremely cold mornings.

I'm wondering if a custom-fabricated choke could be made to fit your carb?

 

i live in niagra falls, and won't be driving during the winter, but i will be needing it to start at a "below zero" level...probably up to about -10 degrees celcius. what are the chances of this thing being impossible to start?...

 

At -10 celsius you should be able to start as long as you have a good battery, but it won't idle on its own until you reach operating temps.

 

But you might want to spring for a $100 (installed) block heater.

 

my sidedraft weber carb is a DCO, meaning the competition version with no choke.

All I have to do in the winter is give it two pumps of gas, and then blip the throttle to kep the revs up for the first 3 miles or so.

 

i have an ida, its no big deal i just make sure i have a can of starting fluid with me when it gets real cold.

 

so why dont you just boil a kettle of water and pour boiling water around the carb before starting it?? its gonna raise the temp of the carb enough to get her cranked.. and once shes going, keep your foot on the gas and keep her from dying..


and hell my ida wont hold an idle until its warm and thats on a 10'C morning...

its all fun and games...
-James

 

 

I have a Sterling carb - so no choke. Pedal it once, start, keep it at about 1.5-2k rpm for 30 secs, then will idle on its own. Then again, California is never cold.